China, Africa agree to build even stronger community with shared future

Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-04 23:39:33|Editor: Liangyu

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BEIJING, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- China and African countries agreed to work together toward an even stronger community with a shared future, according to a declaration adopted Tuesday at the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Sharing weal and woe, the Chinese and African peoples have forged a deep friendship rooted in similar historical experiences, development tasks, and political aspirations, the declaration says.

"We agree to strengthen collective dialogue, enhance traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation, and work together toward an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future," it says.

Calling Africa an important participant in the Belt and Road Initiative, the declaration says China-Africa cooperation under the initiative will generate more resources and means, expand the market and space for African development, and broaden its development prospects.

African countries support China in hosting the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in 2019, the declaration says.

It notes that China and African countries applaud the role FOCAC has played over the past 18 years to promote China-Africa relations.

In the declaration, China pledges to continue to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African countries in keeping with the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, and the principle of upholding justice while pursuing shared interests, as proposed by President Xi Jinping.

China welcomes a representational office of the African Union (AU) in Beijing, the document says.

African members of FOCAC reaffirm their commitment to the one-China principle, and their support for China's reunification and China's efforts in resolving territorial and maritime disputes peacefully through friendly consultation and negotiation.

On anti-corruption cooperation, China and African countries welcome the launching of the African Anti-Corruption Year, pledging to take it as an opportunity to jointly fight corruption and promote integrity.

China will continue to, in keeping with the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, help enhance Africa's production capacity in the secondary and tertiary industries, and promote the transformation and upgrading of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation focusing on improving Africa's internally driven growth that reduces reliance on export of raw materials, according to the declaration.

"China will, as always, offer assistance and support to Africa's development with no political strings attached," the document says.

It notes that China and African countries firmly uphold multilateralism and oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism.

China supports early progress in developing African Continental Free Trade Area and the Single African Air Transport Market, says the declaration.

It urges developed countries to honor their official development assistance commitments to developing countries, especially those in Africa, on time and in full.

In the declaration, China vows to firmly support African countries and regional organizations such as the AU in their efforts to independently resolve African problems in the African way, and to continue to play a constructive role, in light of the need of Africa, in providing good offices and mediation of African hotspot issues.

On tackling climate change and protecting the environment, the declaration calls on developed countries to honor their commitments at an early date and to support African countries with funding, technology transfer and capacity building.

China will work with Africa to fight illegal trade in wildlife, says the document.

It says China and African countries welcome Senegal as the next co-chair of FOCAC, noting that the Eighth FOCAC Ministerial Conference will be held in Senegal in 2021.